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Polchet family Midrand: in fear from attackers

One family has lived on edge after intruders attempted to break into their cottage on their property on two nights of the Easter weekend. They believe someone is watching their cottage and targetting it. It’s been hit three or four times…

19 May 2011 | Tammy Sutherns Irene Polchet has lived with her husband and her husband’s 92-year-old father on their plot in Glen Austin Midrand for 11 years. Here they have been able to have a garden big enough for their three horses. Four years ago they built a cottage on the property.

But Polchet said, "Someone is watching our cottage." In four years the cottage has been hit by robbers three or four times and always on the days when the tenant is out. Over Easter, their tenants left for a holiday on Good Friday. The Polchets were awoken by the sound of the alarm at about 2am the next morning. Intruders had attempted to break in to the cottage, but managed to get away before security or police arrived."I’ve spent a fortune on security," said Polchet, "a fortune I just don’t have. We’ve had to take a bond out on our house."

Their home is now equipped with electric fencing, extra lighting and a new gate.The next night the robbers returned, using tools to bash through the wall underneath the window of the cottage. They managed to steal laptops, bedding and the kettle before the alarm went off.

Neighbour’s husband was beaten up inside his home:

"We are always scared," said Polchet. She and her husband take turns being at home so as to not leave her father-in-law at home alone after their neighbour’s husband was beaten up in his home."The police are great and are always very sympathetic, but how do we prevent this?"

Buhle Claasen, marketing coordinator for Boulders shopping centre, released a statement on the armed robbery in their Jet store on Sunday. 25 May 2011

source: Tammy Sutherns "An armed robbery occurred at Jet in the Boulders shopping centre in Midrand on Sunday at about 9am.Four men acting as customers entered Jet as the staff opened the store. Two of the men immediately proceeded to the back office, while the other two suspects roamed the store looking at merchandise. The suspects, armed with hand guns, demanded the store manager give them the money from the tills. The Boulders security team suspected something was happening and our control room called the police. They waited for the suspects to exit the centre so as to ensure the safety of the customers. Once the suspects exited the centre and saw the police, they dropped the money and fled. Our security pointed them out to the police. All the money was recovered. The suspects were described as black men, between the ages of 25 and 35 years old. They fled the scene on foot.No customers or staff members were harmed during the robbery. The Midrand police arrived at the scene minutes later."

Melody Venter, general manager at the Boulders said the safety of mall customers was a priority for Boulders owners and management. She added that these incidents were treated very seriously and investigated thoroughly to establish the actual facts and to ensure that Boulders increased security efforts.Venter added, "Despite the mall security's long standing relations with neighbouring community police stations in an ongoing fight against crime in the area, these unfortunate incidents do regrettably occur."Members of the public are encouraged to contact the Boulders centre management directly on matters of concern so that the centre, together with police may deal with them appropriately and swiftly. telephone for details: 011-315-3345

According to Colonel Steven Moodley, station commander of Midrand police, an armed robbery occurred at Jet Stores in the centre. "Constable Tlou Dibete of the Midrand police Sector 5 called for back-up from the flying squad," said Moodley. Moodley added that the response was so quick a security guard was able to point out the suspects to the police as they crossed Old Pretoria Road. "When the police tried to stop the fleeing criminals, one pulled out a firearm and started shooting at the officers," Moodley said. "A shoot-out ensued that fortunately resulted in no injuries." "One of the suspects was arrested and R15 000 in cash and an unlicensed firearm were recovered." Constable Matome Tlamela, spokesman for Midrand police, said that unfortunately the other two suspects managed to escape."The suspect was arrested and will appear in court shortly to be charged with robbery and the possession of an unlicensed firearm," she said.

The term "genocide" was coined by legal scholar Raphael Lemkin in 1943, writing:

'Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actionsaiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves.

The objectives of such a plan would be the disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of personal security, liberty, health, dignity and lives of the members of such groups... '